Kent County Council, Kent Police, and Trading Standards launched the third Local Vape Action pilot in Maidstone on February 24, 2026. The project, led by Sittingbourne South councillor Paul Webb, aims to stop the sale of illegal vapes and protect young people across Kent, including in Sittingbourne.
This is the third time the Local Vape Action (LVA) pilot has been run in the county, following successful schemes in Tunbridge Wells and Ashford that achieved a 90% retailer compliance rate. The project is a response to the nationwide ban on single-use or disposable vapes that has been in effect since June 1, 2025.
Councillor Paul Webb, who serves as the KCC Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, is spearheading the effort to ensure community safety. The scheme involves increased inspections from Kent Trading Standards and specialized training for shopkeepers from the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA).
The move follows a major operation in early February 2026 where teams from Kent Police seized 163 illegal vapes and more than 153,000 cigarettes across the county. This new pilot is designed to give authorities more power to take unsafe, non-compliant items off the shelves and out of the community.
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